Northwell Health’s Syosset Hospital performed a first-of-its-kind cartilage repair surgery in April, successfully returning a Hewlett teen back to the soccer field. The Matrix-Induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation procedure had been performed using a traditional open incision for 10 years until the FDA approved an arthroscopic approach in late 2025, orthopedic surgeon Ajay Padaki said. Prior to the procedure, Badia said he had never played a school or local soccer game without knee pain. Since Badia’s procedures, which took place from November 2025 to April 2026, Padaki has performed three additional arthroscopic MACI procedures at Syosset Hospital. “Syosset is a center of excellence for orthopedic surgery, which means that we’ve obtained a designation of performing care at the highest level.”